In subsea hydrocarbon drilling operations, a Christmas tree may be installed on a wellhead to control the flow of fluids to and from the well. The Christmas tree contains various actuators, control valves, chokes and the like that are controlled by a subsea control module (SCM). The SCM is an electro-hydraulic unit that is coupled to the Christmas tree and may provide hydraulic or electronic control to the Christmas tree, as well as enable communications with a surface vessel. The SCM and Christmas tree are often coupled to one other via hydraulic couplers, which may be subject to separation forces. To reduce the likelihood of unwanted separation, many hydraulic couplers employ a locking mechanism. For example, traditional locking mechanisms often employ a nut-and-screw arrangement to oppose separation forces acting on the SCM and the Christmas tree.
In some cases, it is beneficial to retrieve the SCM to repair an electronic malfunction of one of the electronic components of the SCM, to repair a hydraulic leak, or to repair or refurbish the SCM due to normal wear and tear caused by subsea environmental conditions, for example. Unfortunately, the locking device may not operate as intended. For example, corrosion, contamination, or other interference may prevent the nut from unthreading from the screw and, as such, may negatively impact the locking mechanism's operation. In such a situation, the SCM's ability to be retrieved is hampered.